Israel

Israel, either of two political units in the Old Testament: the united kingdom of Israel under the kings Saul, David, and Solomon that lasted from about 1020 to 922 bc; or the northern kingdom of Israel, including the territories of the 10 northern tribes (i.e., all except Judah and part of Benjamin), that was established in 922 bc as the result of a revolt led by Jeroboam I. The southern kingdom, ruled by the Davidic dynasty, was thereafter referred to as Judah. The later kingdom’s history was one of dynastic instability, with only two prolonged periods of stable government, under Omri (reigned 876–869 or c. 884–c. 872 bc) and Ahab (c. 874–c. 853 bc) and the Jehu dynasty (c. 842–746 bc). In the 8th century bc the northern kingdom was overrun by the Neo-Assyrian Empire, with Samaria, the capital, falling in 722/721.